Valery Kalistratov, born in 1942, is a distinguished composer and conductor who studied choral conducting under Boris Tevlin at the Moscow Conservatory, graduating in 1970. He furthered his education with a degree in composition from the same institution in 1974. Kalistratov's early training in choral conducting naturally led him to focus on choral music as his primary medium. His body of work includes numerous cantatas, oratorios, shorter choral pieces, folk song arrangements, songs, music for children's voices, and several orchestral and chamber works. He is known for composing the traditional Russian folk wedding song "Tania-Taniusha," performed by Andrey Zaboronok and The Bolshoi Theatre Children's Choir. Kalistratov resides in Moscow with his wife, Anna Litvinenko, a renowned Russian folk singer. He often travels abroad for performances of his works and to conduct.